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Mikhail Mikhaylovich Kantakuzen

Iași, 13 Oct 1858 – Bordighera, 17 Sep 1927

7 facts1 source

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 13 Oct 1858

    Born in Iași

  2. 17 Sep 1927

    Dies in Bordighera, aged 68

Family

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Parents

Partner

During his lifetime

He lived through 8 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Iași.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1850s · Mikhail is born in Iași

In the news1854

First railway inaugurated (1854)

On 20 August 1854, the first railway in present-day Romania was inaugurated, linking Baziaș to Oravița in the Banat region. Initially used for coal, it opened for passengers in 1856.

What people wore

Decorated sheepskin waistcoats for feast days

A staple of both men’s and women’s festive attire was the bondice, a short, sleeveless waistcoat made of tanned sheepskin. These vests were elaborately decorated with embroidery, beads, or leather appliqué depending on the specific region of Moldavia.

Daily life

Poor housing and shared living spaces

In many rural areas, peasant families lived in small, damp, two-story houses with dirt floors, often sharing space and warmth with their livestock during the winter. Urban poor households frequently lacked windows, relied on smoke-filled kitchens, and suffered from a lack of sanitation, such as sewers or waste collection.

In the news1853

First electric telegraph lines installed (1853)

On 14 February 1853, the first electric telegraph lines were installed in Romanian territories, establishing a connection between Iași and Cernăuți.

Music

Winter Festival Dances and Rituals

During winter festivals, young men performed the dance of the caiuti, moving with horse heads attached to their waists, adorned with colorful pom-poms and tassels. Another staple was the bear dance, where performers costumed as bears danced until falling dead, only to return to life, symbolizing man's power to tame nature.

In Europe1845–1852

The Great Famine in Ireland

Potato blight ruined harvests: a million Irish people died and a million more emigrated, many to America.

Getting around

Travel Delays Caused by Weather

During the mid-19th century, traveling in autumn or spring was notoriously difficult due to mud, which could reduce travel speeds to as little as 4 km per hour even with eight horses pulling a carriage. Travelers often faced long delays at rivers or fords, where carts would gather for up to a week waiting for water levels to recede.